Our Story

Fermented milk drink infused with the desire for good health.

Yakult began with the passion of Dr. Minoru Shirota, who pursued preventive medicine.

With the passionate desire of our founder passed down in to each of our businesses, we will continue to contribute to the health and happiness of people around the world Yakult created through the pursuit for a disease-resistant body. Minoru Shirota, who was the founder of Yakult and a doctor of medicine, began his medical studies at Kyoto Imperial University (now Kyoto University) in 1921. Around that time, Japan was still not prosperous, and so unsanitary conditions and malnutrition caused many people to die of infectious disease, such as cholera and dysentery.

1930

Dr Minoru Shirota successfully cultured Lactobacillus Caseistrain Shirota

1935

Yakult started to be manufactured and sold

1955

Yakult Honsha building was established in Tokyo
Research institute was established in Kyoto

1963

Yakult lady home delivery begin

1964

Yakult Taiwan opens, Yakult’s first overseas business

1967

Yakult research institute is established (Now known as central institute)

1968

Yakult’s first iconic bottle is introduced

1972

New Headquarter building is completed in central Tokyo

1978

Yakult Swallows win first Japanese’s professional Baseball league championship

1981

Yakult Honsha is listed in the first section of Tokyo stock exchange

1986

Fuji Susono dairy product manufacturing plant is completed

1998

Yakult is approved as ‘’ Food for specific health uses (FOSHU)’’ by Japanese ministry of health and welfare.

2015

Yakult Middle East FZCO office was established in Dubai, UAE

2016

Opening of newly renovated Yakult central institute.

2017

Yakult Middle East starts marketing Yakult product

2018

Yakult Middle East Introduces Yakult Light to UAE.

2019

Yakult Middle East Introduces Yakult Gold to UAE.

YME (Yakult Middle East)

Yakult Middle East was established in 2015 as a subsidiary of Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd in Japan, in which it supports Yakult’s business in U.A.E. and other GCC countries.

Yakult Middle East is one of the leading probiotic companies in UAE and GCC countries.Currently YME operates from Dubai serving 800 stores across GCC countries with fresh products.

PHILOSOPHY

All our business activities originate from Shirota-ism Dr. Shirota proposed three ideas, including “preventive medicine;” “a healthy intestinal tract leads to a long life,” which stresses that strengthening the intestines, the place where nutrients are absorbed into the body, leads to a health and long life; and “a price anyone can afford.” We call these ideas ‘Shirota-ism’ and they serve as the root of all our business activities. The passion of our founder has been handed down till today, without being swayed by the changing times

SHIROTA-ISM

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

Emphasis should be placed on preventing illness, rather than on treating illness once it develops.

HEALTHY INTESTINAL TRACT LEADS TO A LONG LIFE

Human beings take in nutrition through their intestines. Making the intestines strong leads to healthy and long lives.

A PRICE ANYONE CAN AFFORD

The goal of providing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, which protest the intestines, to as many people as possible at an affordable price.

Shirota-ism, in addition to the above also includes ideas like “sincerity,” “harmony among people,” “honesty and kindness,” “caring enough to broaden acceptance,” and “caring enough to make home deliveries” as timeless and fundamental aspects of our business activities. Yakult will continue to honor our roots in Shirota-ism and our corporate philosophy and deliver the irreplaceable joy of good health to people around the world.

Vision

Expanding our business range and presence to help people around the world lead a healthy life. Yakult will continue to honor our roots in Shirota-ism and our corporate philosophy and deliver the irreplaceable joy of good health to people around the world.

Mission

“We contribute to the health and happiness of people around the world through pursuit of excellence in life science in general and our research and experience in microorganisms in particular.”

Yakult Around the world

To spread the ideals of Shirota-ism, that is to promote good health through prevention of diseases to people of all nations, Yakult began its first overseas operation in Taiwan in 1964. Since then, Yakult’s network has expanded to 40 countries and regions worldwide and where people drink it every day. This makes Yakult the world’s leading probiotic drink.